By: Kelly Williams and Bill Cumming

In March 2005, we shared an early draft of our twenty-seven page children’s picture book, Absolutely and Unconditionally. Given the content of this month’s newsletter, we’ve decided to share it again in its current version as we are also anxiously awaiting some good news about its future in the world of publishing.

ABSOLUTELY AND UNCONDITIONALLY

By: Kelly Williams & Bill Cumming

Mom, do you love me?” the little boy asked.

“Absolutely and unconditionally,” she said.

“Absolutely and unconditionally?” the little boy said with a puzzled look on his face.

“Yes, absolutely and unconditionally,” his mother replied.

“What does that mean?” the little boy asked.

“It means I love you absolutely, without doubt and unconditionally without limit,” she said.

The little boy thought for a minute and then asked, “Why?”

“Because I can and because I want to,” his mother replied.

“Do you love me when I spill milk?”

“I may not like the mess or helping you clean it up and I love you absolutely and unconditionally.”

“What about when I get mud all over everything?”

“I may not like doing the extra laundry or washing the floor again and I will always love you absolutely and unconditionally. The who I love in you isn’t about your actions, it’s about your heart.”

“But sometimes you get upset with me.”

“I know I do and sometimes I forget to tell you that what I am upset about is what you’ve done, not who you are. I will always love you, no matter what!”

“Can I love you absolutely and unconditionally, too?” the little boy asked.

“Yes,” his mother said smiling. “You can love everyone that way.”

“I can? But that seems like it would be so hard,” the little boy said.

“It’s both the easiest and hardest thing in the world to do,” his mother replied.

“Why?” the little boy asked.

“It’s the easiest thing to do in the world because we are made to love one another absolutely and unconditionally.”

“Then why is it so hard?” the little boy asked.

“Because we don’t always believe in our ability to love everyone and sometimes we don’t have an experience of being loved that way ourselves,” she said. “So, sometimes it feels like loving everyone is the hardest thing to do.”

“The little boy thought for a moment and then asked, “So, if I wanted to love Aunt Beth absolutely and unconditionally I could?”

“Yep,” his mother replied.

“Can I love Mr. McCabe, our mailman, that way, too?”

“Yes,” his mother said smiling.

“What about the lady at the grocery store – the one who bags our groceries and never smiles at me?” the little boy asked. “Her, too?”

“Yes,” his mother told him. “You have the power to love anyone you want absolutely and unconditionally.”

“Wow!” the little boy said. “Then I’m going to love everyone in the world like that.”

“I always knew you would,” his mother replied.

“You did?” the little boy asked.

“Absolutely,” she said. “Absolutely.”